i am about to purchase a new set of poles and i have some questions. if it matters, i am a 44 year old fellow who is more of an ambler than a go getter on the trails. i will be sticking to established trails and i will not be pushing myself at all (i will also have my 10 year old son in tow, so no speed records will be set by us). i am on a budget and have narrowed my choices to two sets, so here are the questions around the features on the two:
1. cork vs. rubber handles: is one necessarily better or more comfortable than the other. i would suspect the rubber will last longer but i have never used cork so i dont really know what advantages it may hold over other materials.
2. anti-shock vs rigid: does anti-shock really work? does it help? is there any real advantage to it over a rigid pole?
let's hear your thoughts...